Setting Up an Oracle Centre of Excellence

Keep Oracle delivering value after the SI leaves. How to design, fund, and establish an Oracle CoE that prevents the post-go-live knowledge cliff and builds sustainable internal Oracle capability. 6 hrs · 2 sessions · Intermediate. Overview The pattern is consistent across Oracle implementations worldwide, and it is particularly pronounced in Africa and the Indian Ocean region: the SI goes live, the programme team disbands, the consultants move to their next engagement, and within six months the organisation is calling the SI back for everything — including tasks that the internal team should be able to handle. Knowledge was not transferred. The CoE was planned but never properly established. And the organisation becomes permanently dependent on expensive external support for a system it owns. This course defines what a properly functioning Oracle CoE looks like, how to design one appropriate to the organisation's size and complexity, and — critically — how to establish it while the SI is still on site, when the knowledge transfer window is open. The CoE models, governance structures, KPI frameworks, and first-90-days plan are drawn from Simpl'IT Consulting's post-go-live advisory engagements across 30 countries. Learning outcomes • Define a CoE operating model appropriate to your organisation's size, complexity, and Oracle maturity • Design the knowledge transfer plan that captures what the SI knows before they leave • Assign process ownership in a way that creates genuine accountability for Oracle performance • Build the CoE governance structure and charter that gives the function real authority • Define the KPIs that demonstrate CoE value to finance and executive leadership • Deliver the first 90-day CoE establishment plan with clear milestones and quick wins Prerequisites • No Oracle technical knowledge required • The organisation should be live on Oracle Fusion or EBS, or within 6 months of go-live • Managing Your SI course is a useful complement — understanding what the SI knows is the starting point Modules 1. CoE models, functions & governance design (3 hours) The failure pattern that makes a CoE necessary: the SI-dependency trap and how organisations fall into it. CoE models compared: the embedded team (dedicated internal Oracle specialists), the virtual network (process owners from across the business with Oracle accountability), and the hybrid model (small core team supported by a broader network). Sizing the CoE: what a 500-person organisation needs versus what a 10,000-person group needs, and how to make the case for the investment. Core CoE functions defined — what the CoE owns and what it does not: configuration change management, business process governance and improvement, user support escalation (not tier-1 helpdesk), continuous improvement programme, vendor relationship management, Oracle update management, reporting and analytics governance. CoE governance: who the CoE reports to, how it is funded (cost centre vs. chargeback), how it interfaces with IT, business units, finance, and the SI. The CoE charter: what it contains and how to get it agreed across stakeholders who have different interests. Topics: SI-dependency trap; CoE model options; CoE sizing; Core CoE functions; CoE boundaries; Governance structure; Funding model; CoE charter 2. Knowledge transfer, KPIs & the first 90 days (3 hours) The knowledge transfer plan: what to capture from the SI before they leave, when to start capturing it (earlier than you think), and what format it needs to be in to be useful to an internal team rather than just an SI deliverable. Configuration documentation standards that an internal team can actually use. Process ownership assignment: mapping every Oracle-supported process to a named business owner with explicit accountability for that process's performance and improvement. CoE KPI framework: the measures that demonstrate CoE value to a finance director — system availability, time to resolve configuration requests, user satisfaction score, process cycle time improvement, and Oracle update adoption rate. The first 90-day CoE plan: the activities, the milestones, the quick wins that build internal confidence and executive support. Common CoE failure patterns and how to avoid them: the underfunded CoE that can't retain talent, the CoE that becomes an IT function and loses business connection, the CoE that has no mandate and so has no influence. Africa-specific considerations: skills scarcity in the Oracle market, staff retention in a market where Oracle skills are in high demand, multi-site and multi-country CoE models. Topics: Knowledge transfer timing; Configuration documentation; Process ownership mapping; CoE KPI framework; First 90-day plan; Common failure patterns; Skills retention; Multi-site CoE design Delivery Best attended by the IT director, the lead business process owners, and the programme director together, ideally 3–6 months before the SI contract ends. The joint attendance is important — the CoE charter requires shared ownership from the start. Can also be run as a rescue intervention for organisations already post-go-live that recognise their CoE is not functioning. Certification Certificate of completion Price USD 1100 · per participant per person · indicative · group pricing available HRDC eligibility Up to 75% refundable Mauritius-registered employers may claim this training via the HRDC levy. We provide full documentation to support your claim. Languages English Provider reference SIMPLIT-008-CENTRE_OF_EXCELLENCE

• IT directors responsible for Oracle capability after go-live • CIOs planning the transition from SI-led implementation to internal operations • Post-go-live programme directors managing the handover from the SI • HR and finance transformation directors who own Oracle-dependent processes • Business process owners who need to maintain and improve their Oracle workflows • Any organisation 6–18 months post-go-live that is struggling to sustain Oracle quality